Circular knit hosiery and method of making same



Nov. 6, 1945. H. N. SHEPPARD 2,388,649

CIRCULAR KNIT HOSIERY AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed May '51, 1945fizveni'ar HARRY N. SHEPPARD 39 his afoftarne ys Patented Nov. 6,1945

cmcvmn KNIT nosmnr AND Ms'rnon or MAKING same Harry N.ShepparrLMaplewood, N. 1., assignor to Scott 8t Williams,

Incorporated, Laconia, N. EL,

a corporation of Massachusetts Application May-31, 1945, Serial No.596,848 Y (01. 66-187) 20 Claims.

This invention relates to circular knit hosiery and methods of makingsame and more particularly to the structure 01' the heel. The inventionis adapted to be carried out on circular knitting machines havingindependent needles and capable 01! having. relative rotary andreciprocatory movements or the needles and knitting cams. Although theinvention may be practiced on various types of knitting machines, inthis specification the invention will be described in connection withthe U. S. patent to Albert E. Page et al., No. 1,841,205, dated January12, 1932.

One object of the invention is to make a stocking with a low heel, asshown for example in the reissue patent to Robert W. Scott No. 16.795.dated November 22, 1927, and to have the heel extend well under theroot. Other advantages include a smooth inste tween the leg and toot, alack oi puckering on the sides, and absence eyelet holes at the innerends of the heel sutures. The heel is strong, and, as viewed from theside, occupies a large sesment or a circle of fabric in going from theankle to the toot. According to this invention, the heel contains as itslargest elements two adjacent, progressively narrowed gussets. The firstcourse or the second gusset contains more wales than the starting courseof the first gusset, and being progressively narrowed beyond the firstgusset. a low heel is formed that, when viewed from the side, occupies asegment of a circle which is larger than that 01 the normal small heelof the said Scott patent.

In the drawing, Figure 1 represents a diagrammatic view oi. the foot ofa stocking made in accordance with one embodiment of the presentinvention. The number of lines shown in the gusset is much less than theactual number of wales. Figure 2 is a similar view of a modifiedconstruction in which there is a widened gusset above the first narrowedgusset.

The construction oi the welt, leg, foot and toe of a stocking embodyingthe present invention may be of any conventional or desiredconstruction, except for the heel, which is the part to which theinvention is directed. For purposes of illustration only, let us assumethat the stocking top totoe on a circular knitis to be knit from tingmachine having a rotary needle cylinder 3% inches in diameter,containing four hundred needles.

To explain the structure or the heel as shown in Fig. 1, its method ormanufacture will now be set forth with reference to the above-mentionedPage et al. Patent 1,841,205. Let us asreverse direction on the firststroke,the leadan improved angle besume that the welt and leg have beenknit in any conventional or other desired manner and that the rotaryknit leg heel contains four hundred wales.

Prior to the knitting of the first course 0! the heeL'all oi the needlesexcept one hundred fiftyfour on the heel side of the stocking are movedto an inactive level known as the instep level which, in theabove-mentioned Page machine. is an elevated level. The first course ofthe heel is knit in a. reverse direction, 1. e., opposite to that of theround-and-round movement. As the one hundred fifty-four active needlesstart, in this ing needle is raised out of action by a narrowing pick inthe customary manner, and the first course of the gusset 8,1. e., theone Joined to the leg along, the line 6, therefore contains one hundredfifty-three stitches. It will be observed that this is much less thanhalf the needles in the machine and that a small heel which does notshow above a low shoe is to be made; In the example being described,there are seventy-five courses in the first gusset 8, including theabovementioned first course, and therefore the last course of thisgusset is knit in the reverse direction. The leading needle is pickedout of action before knitting on each oscillation, namely, one percourse.

The next two courses knit are novel in character. As the cylinder movesin the forward direction to make the first oi these two novel courses,switch cams like the cams 24, 25 in the Page et al. patent restore toknitting position not only the part of the group of one hundredfiftyfour heel needles which were picked up out of action during thefirst gusset 8, but also three needles on either end of the group. Thesecams are inserted at the mid-point of the active segment, the pointmarked it on the drawing, and as a consequence the added needles on oneside of the heel, namely, those at the trailing end of the active(considered on the forward stroke) segment become active on the forwardstroke;

and thoseon the leading end (1 e., the needles which trail on thereverse stroke) become active on the following or reverse stroke, whichis the first full course of the'second gusset. The first full course 01'the second gusset H is knit in the reverse direction after deducting theleading needle which is put out of action by the up-pick. This meansthat one hundred fifty-nine stitches are knit in this course. Thenarrowing continues so that on the next course onehundred fiftyeightstitches will be. knit. There are one hun- 2 immediately abovethe Igusset which faces toward the toe 5.

dred four courses in the second gusset. The last course in this gussettherefore contains fiftyseven stitches, the narrowing being at a rate ofone needle per course, as in the first gusset. The narrowing in bothcases is preferably by up-pick action alone. The second gusset containsmore courses than the first gusset. In other words, the second gusset isprogressively narrowed on each side of the stocking beyond the walewhere the first gusset ended. There are also more wales in the secondgusset than in the first. The suture I2 between the first and secondgussets is shorter than the suture IS on the side of the second Theknitting of extra stitches or wales 9 at the inner end of the secondgusset avoids the formation of eyelets which otherwise would occur ifthe two gussets started at the same wale. This strengthens the cornerboth because of the separation and because the extra stitches providecontinuity of wales from the instep side of the stocking into thecentral gusset. The extra courses due to the extra narrowing near theside help to turn the foot up to a more acute angle. It will be observedthat no widened segments have been used in turning the corner and that alow heel is obtained with extra stitches which carry the heel well underthe foot. The suture resulting from this narrowed construction does notstretch so freely as a narrowed and widened heel suture-a desirablefeature.

It is sometimes desirable to add even more to the heel fabric under thefoot, and for this purpose and others, a third gusset can be added. Thisgusset is preferably a widened one. For this purpose the interrelatedactionof the two switch cams 24 and 25 again moves all the idled needlesexcept the instep needles back to knitting level. This amounts to onehundred sixty needles, as in the case of the second gusset. The activeneedles knit on successive courses, one hundred sixty plus one, two,three, etc. stitches as the net increase of the narrowing and wideningpicks-both of which are usedone needle up, two down. After the sixthcourse, which is in the reverse direction, circular knitting is resumed,the action of the switch cam 24 of the Page et a1. patent restoring allthe needles to active position. If there is no third gusset the cam 24restores all needles to active position at the end of the second gusset.

The number of courses in the gussets 8, I I and i4 may be varied, theexact number of courses in the several gussets as recited in thepreceding description being for illustrative purposes only. The relativenumber of needles knitting the first and second gussets 8 and II,respectively, effects the knitting of a heel having several desirablequalities, such as a smooth and fiat appearing heel without the usualpuckering of the heel gores which frequently results from knitting inaccordance with accepted methods. The novel heel also has a tendency topull the fabric down, i. e., take, up the slack at the instep. The heelcorners are also stronger, which, in part, at least,

.is due to the fact that the longitudinal pull or strain on the stockingis distributed over three separate points, and that the stitches joiningthe instep and the heel in the second gusset are in uninterupted wales,i. e.. constitute continuous fabric without any change in the directionin which the thread runs. Thus it will be noted that not only is thereno suture at this point, but that the reinforced stitches on the firstrow adjacent the instep on each side are all knit together in onecourse.

ting progresses The construction shown in Fig. 2 differs essentially inadding to the combination a widened gusset 2| so placed as to correspondto a high heel reinforcement. (To make clear the shape of gussets 2| andB, a dotted line is shown in the drawing where they meet each other.)The balanced cooperative effect of this gusset on the rest of the novelstructure will be set forth after its construction has been described.Let us assume that the leg 2 has been made by rotary knitting on all theneedles down to what in Fig. 1 is the beginning of the heel. In Fig. 2this line includes, among others, points It, I1, l8, etc., on each side.The new gusset is knit next. All the needles except those at the back ofthe stocking between points l6 and H on the one side and thecorresponding needles on the other side (the latter wales not beingshown), are thrown out of action. Reciprocatory knitting then takesplace on this small group of needles at the back of the stocking,widening the segment as the knitalong the point II to the point l8 whichis at the inner end of the first narrowed segment. This brings us to aposition corresponding to the line 6 in Fig. l. The widened segment justknit acts as a neat high splice. It will be noted that the level portionof the reinforcement around the back of the heel is not a suture, butthat the tapered sides l1, l8 are sutures. The first na'rrowed gusset 8is then knit in the same manner as in the stocking of Fig. 1, followedby the second narrowed gusset ll. Thereafter a final gusset I9 is knitin much the same manner as the third gusset of Fig. 1, with widening atthe ends of the active segment of needles to give a suture 20 whosedirection is in direct continuation of the line between point l8 andpoint} where the reinforced fabric of the second gusset ends. It will benoted that the continuity of the plain fabric from the instep side ofthe stocking into the second or central gusset provides added strengthbetween the instep and the heel in the constructions of both Figs. 1 and2. In the construction of Fig. 2, in addition to that feature and theseparation of the inner ends of the suture lines between the first andsecond narrowed gussets and the second and third gussets, there areother advantages. The reinforced areas at the inner ends of the suturelines are balanced on the two sides and extend a greater and even arc ofprotection around those areas. Of course, they also extend the contourof the heel.

Obviously, the recited number of needles active during the knitting ofthe gussets 8, I, I4 and 2| will vary when machines having a number ofneedles other than four hundred are availed of to practice the presentinvention. Furthermore, the number of needles knitting the variousgussets may be varied, even when knitting with a knitting machinehaving, for example, four hundred needles.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my application for patentfor Circular knit hosiery and method of making same, filed October 10,1944, Serial Number 558,018.

I claim:

1. In a circular knit stocking having a heel comprising a plurality ofadjacent progressively narrowed tapered gusse'ts arranged one below theother, each extending to the instep fabric, an upper gusset having lessthan half the wales of the leg and the gusset below it containing morecourses than said upper gusset, whereby the heel is extended under thefoot. I

. there being suture the leg of the stocking, the provision of a lowergusset having one or more gussets between it and the leg, said lowergusset extending further into the instep than the uss ts above it,whereby continuity of plain wales from the,instep oi the stocking intosaid lower gusset is obtained and the heel is extended under the foot.

4. In a circular knit stocking, the combination in the heel of twoprogressively narrowed gussets arranged one below the other, saidgussets having less than half the wales oi the leg and the lower gussetcontaining more wales in one or more courses adjacent the upper gussetthan the longest course of said upper gusset, whereby the inner ends ofthe suture lines between two gussets and between the lower gusset andthe fabric adjacent it on the toe side are separated.

5. In a circular knit stocking, the combination in the heel of two ormore tapered gussets with suture lines on the sole side 01' each of twosuch gussets which are adjacent, the upper of said two adjacent gussetshaving in its longest course less than half the wales of the leg, andthe lower of said two adjacent gussets containingin one or more coursesadjacent the other oi said two gussets more wales than the longestcourse or said other gusset, whereby there is continuity of plain fabricfrom the instep oi! the stocking into said lower gusset.

6. A circular knit stocking having a. heel with a plurality of gussets,there being among'said gussets an upper gusset, a lower gusset and acentral one therebetween containing more wales in one or more coursesthan the longest courses oi said upper gusset, whereby there iscontinuity of plain wales from the instep of the stocking into saidcentral gusset, the upper and lower gussets being tapered and presentingsuture lines to the instep side of the ing suture lines between, thecentral gusset and the one on either side of it. all courses in saidheel gussets containing .less than half the wales in the leg oi thestocking.

7. A circular knit stocking having a heel containing a plurality ofgussets, said gussets comprising two tapered gussets, a central taperedgusset therebetween containing more wales in one or more courses besidean adjacent gusset than in the longest course of said adjacent gusset,whereby there is continuity of plain wales from the instep in saidgusset. said tapered gussets on each side of the central gussetpresenting suture lines to the instep side of the stocking, linesbetween the central gusset and the one on each side of it, the sutureline between the central gusset and the one above it being shorter thanthe suture line on the other side of said central gusset.

8. A circular knit stocking having a heel with a plurality of taperedgussets, there being among said gussets a tapered gusset and a centralone containing more courses: than said tapered gusset, said taperedgusset being adjacent the central gusset on the leg side thereof, andgusset also having more wales in one or more courses adjacentsaidleg-side gusset stocking, there also be-.

than half the wales of tion with a tapered gusset on the foot side 01'said central gusset, the gusset on each side of said central onepresenting a suture line to the instep side of the stocking and everycourse in said gussets containing less than half the wales of the leg,whereby an extended low heel is produced.

9. A circular knit stocking having a heel of less than halt the wales oithe foot at the instep, said heel comprising two adjacent progressivelytapered gussets, one below the other, with a suture therebetween, thelower gusset containing more wales in one or more courses near the uppergusset than the longest course 01' said upper gusset, in combinationwith a widened gusset between the lower gusset and the foot, there beinga suture between the ing no suture between and the tapered gusset theupper widened gusset below it, the two widened gussets being equal inlength to the adjacent gussets at their points of juncture therewith:whereby an extended heel is formed.

10. A circular knit stocking having a heel comprising two progressivelynarrowed gussets arranged one below the other, the upper gusset havingless than second gusset containing more courses than the first gusset,whereby the heel is extended under the foot.

11'. A circular knit stocking having a heel comprising two progressivelynarrowed gussets arranged one below the other, each having less the leg,the upper gusset containing fewer narrowed courses than the sec-- ondsegment of a circle is formed.

12. A circular knit stocking having a heel comprising two successivenarrowed gussets each instep. said heel comprising two adjacent pro--gressively narrowed gussets arranged one below the other, the longcourse oi! the upper gusset adjacent the leg containing fewer wales thanthe longest course of the second gusset, said second gusset containingmore narrowed courses than the first tends over a large segment of acircle.

14. A circular knit stocking having a heel of less than hall. the walesoi the font at the instep, said heel comprising two adjacentprogressively narrowed gussets arranged one below the other, the suturebetween the two gussets being shorter than the suture on the edge of thesecond gusset iacing toward the toe, in combination with a progressivelywidened gusset above the upper gusset 15. circular knit stocking a lowheel the wales of the foot at the lower and'third gussets longer thanthe first-mentioned suture and av widened gusset above the upper gusset,there behalf the wales of the leg and the gusset, whereby a low heeloccupying a large I I gusset. whereby the heel is low but excomprisingtwo adjacent prosaid third gusset comprising a widened segment wherebythere is additional iabric'in the heel extending under the foot.

16. In a method of making circular knit hosiery, the steps of knitting aleg, knitting a heel by making a progressively narrowed gusset on lessthan half of the wales of the leg, thereafter making a second gusset byknitting a course in all the first gusset wales plus a few wales on eachend of the group and progressively narrowing the second gusset.continuing the narrowing beyond the point where it stopped on the firstgusset, whereby an extended low heel is produced.

1'1. In a method of making circular knit hosiery from top to toe, thesteps in the making of a heel of making a progressively narrowed gusseton less than half of the wales of the leg, thereafter making a secondgusset by knitting a course in all the first gusset wales plus a fewwales on each end of the group and progressively narrowing the secondgusset, continuing the narrowing beyond the point where it stopped onthe s first gusset, whereby an extended low heel is produced.

18. In a method of making circular knit hosiery from top to toe, thesteps in the making of a heel of making a progressively narrowed gusseton less than half of the wales of the leg, thereafter making a secondgusset by knitting a course in all the first gusset wales plus a fewwales on each end of the group and progressively narrowing the secondgusset, continuing the narrowing beyond the point where it stopped onthe first gusset and knitting a third gusset on all the assaeee walesand widening on each course beyond the per ends of the sutures betweenthe second and third gussets, whereby an extended low heel is produced.

19. In a method of making circular knit hosiery, the steps of knitting aleg, making a heel on less than half the wales of the leg by the stepsof knitting a progressively widened gusset, making a progressivelynarrowed gusset starting with the maximum number of'wales of the widenedgusset, then making another gusset by knitting one or more courses inall the wales of them:- rowed gusset plus a few wales on each end of thegroup and progressively narrowing the gusset, continuing the narrowingbeyond the point where it stopped on the first-mentioned narrowedgusset, and thereafter making a progressively widened gusset startingwith approximately the number of wales in the last course of the secondnarrowed gusset, whereby an extended low heel is produced.

20. In a circular knit stocking having a heel in which there are aplurality of adjacent progressively narrowed tapered gussets arrangedone below the other, the combination of an upper gusset having less thanhalf the wales of the leg, and a lower gusset joined to it by a suture,there also being a suture along the edge of the lower gusset facingtoward the toe, the suture between said two gussets being shorter thanthe suture along the edge of the lower gusset facing the whereby theheel is low but extends over a large segment of a circle.

HARRY N. SHEPPARD.

